Camera cranes are used to position and maneuver motion picture cameras, such as motion picture film or digital cameras, HD cameras, and 2D and 3D cameras. Camera cranes typically have a crane arm mounted onto a mobile base or vehicle. The arm can be pivoted or tilted up or down, and panned from side to side, to obtain a desired camera position, while the mobile base remains stationary. Some crane arms can extend and retract with a telescoping movement. To follow a moving subject during filming, or to move the camera around a subject, move in, back-up or move diagonally in any direction, the motion base is pushed over the ground by the filming crew, or the motion base may be self-propelled via an on-board motor, with or without also using telescoping movement. Dramatic improvements in telescoping camera crane arms have recently been achieved, for example as described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,033,742. This type of camera crane arm can provide a reach of over 70 feet (23 meters) with exceptional stability, all weather, and underwater capability.
As filming often takes place on location outside of a studio, camera cranes are frequently transported by truck to the filming location. However, the relatively larger size and weight of modern camera cranes present special transport challenges.